Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 13th, 2019 4:34PM

The alpine rating is low, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Loose Dry.

grant statham, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Conditions will change soon, with one more day of low danger before the next storm arrives on Friday. We continue to search for buried surface hoar in isolated locations, and although we have let to see an avalanche release on it - we remain wary.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Thursday is the warm up day with a cold morning (-25) but expect highs in some areas up to -5 with generally clear skies and no new snow.Â Friday and Saturday look snowy with 10 cm expected each day but winds and temperatures will remain moderate.

Snowpack Summary

5-10 cm of new snow overlies low density facets that formed near the surface during the current cold spell. These surface conditions can produce dry loose avalanches in steep places, but slab formation has been minimal. The distribution of the Jan 17 SH is spotty, but in some areas (Kootenay) it appears prominent; strength tests are hard & sudden

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed or reported.

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

We expect the odd windslab to rear its head in steep, alpine terrain. Pay particular attention to this if you are in any terrain with consequence below you such as cliffs or other terrain traps.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely

Expected Size

1 - 1.5

Loose Dry

Consistent cold temperatures have faceted the upper snowpack. In steep alpine features loose surface snow can easily entrain mass causing small avalanches. Thin steep rocky terrain is the prime candidate for this problem.

Be careful of loose dry power sluffing in steep terrain..

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 1

Valid until: Feb 14th, 2019 4:00PM